we may have gotten a hint on that when republicans said they would look at eight debt ceiling it ascension back ago, probably, three months. what do you make of that? don: they would be blamed, roundly, thoroughly if the country went into some kind of default. the strategy, as you have been reporting, has been to try to take this issue off the table and then fight the battle over spending cuts when you have a sequestration cuts scheduled to start march 1. the current resolution running the government also running out into her three months from now. as well as, the debt ceiling having to be raised yet again. republicans hope this is when they will be able to get the leverage to push spending cuts and entitlement reform. neil: you know, peter, what we look at -- how does that decide? there is a protocol. sitting in and around that i see ron emanuel sitting close to president clinton, how are those seats sold out? >> by protocol and tradition, all former presidents are invited, of course. both president bush, 41 and 43 the client to come. i believe president carter is not attending, but presi